INSIDE SOUND DESIGN: DRAGON VOCALS

A COLLABORATIVE POST WITH INTRODUCTION BY IAN HOWARD

Here at Boom Box Post, we strive to design and create things that are unique. In this month’s Inside Sound Design, we talk with sound editor Tess Fournier about some cool creative vocal design she has been working on.

Hi Tess! What are we listening to today?

I had a project recently that featured a dragon with unique reactions so I sought out to create and design original dragon vocal builds. I recorded myself and layered in other sounds to sweeten and texturize the vocal effect of the dragon.

Could you break down your process?

I started off recording myself with wild takes (not synced to picture) to have a base of what the dragon would sound like. I attempted to process my vocals using the Dehumaniser plug-in but it didn’t have the characteristics I was looking for and was muddying up the sound. Instead, I used Pitch Shift to adjust my vocals to where I wanted them.

After processing my recorded vocals, I began to layer them with different animal growls to give add texture and make them sound larger. The first layer I knew I wanted was a low end coming from an Elephant growl. I like the trumpet-like sound it has and it makes everything sound big and scary.

I then added in another layer from a Cougar to help bring up more of the midrange.

After listening to those combined layers, I knew I needed a more high end sound to bring out more of an attack. I found a really interesting evil dog growl that worked perfectly to complete the layering.